Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS)
Eldorado, Texas
These are photos of the first three buildings of the FLDS compound, owned by the YFZ Land Development Company, approximately February, 2004. Joe Christian, a local pilot, took digital photos(above) and gave them to Randy Mankin of the “Eldorado Success”.
Three – 3 story buildings on a three section ranch for a hunting retreat owned by ” YFZ ( Yearning For Zion) Land Development”. Further investigation by Schleicher County Sheriff and Eldorado Success revealed the YFZ was a holding company for Warren Jeffs and the FLDS.
In November 2003, church member David Allred purchased “as a hunting retreat” the 1,371 acre (5.5 km²) Isaacs ranch 4 miles northeast of Eldorado, Texas on Schleicher County Road 300 and sent 30 to 40 construction workers from Colorado City Az, Hildale Utah, to begin work on the property. Improvements soon included three 3-story houses–each 8,000 to 10,000 square feet (740 to 930 m²), a concrete plant and a plowed field. After seeing high-profile FLDS critic Flora Jessop on the ABC television program “Prime Time Live” on March 4, 2004, concerned Eldorado residents contacted Jessop. She investigated and on March 25, 2004 held a press conference in Eldorado confirming that the new Eldorado neighbors were FLDS adherents. On May 18, 2004 Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran and his Chief Deputy visited Colorado City, and the FLDS church officially acknowledged that the Schleicher County property would be a new base for the church. A local newspaper, The Eldorado Success, reported that the temple foundation was dedicated January 1, 2005 by Warren Jeffs. If true, the FLDS will be the third Latter Day Saint denomination to build a temple, and the first outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to operate a temple for live ordinances besides baptism.